i mean, the willingness -- maybe we will get an 11th hour agreement that avoids the fiscal cliff, but it will be a fairly minimal agreement. nothing like a big comprehensive deal. especially the republicans are having difficulty making the compromises you need to move forward in what is a very closely divided society. what is the alternative? you have a republican house but a democratic president who will be there for four years and a reasonable prospect if hillary clinton runs in 2016, a democrat will hold the white house then. what are we waiting for. in 1997 even, when a democratic president was reelected along with a republican congress, they said none of us are going away, we have to make a deal. that's not really happening yet. >> so tglass is half full for you? >> i think it can still happen, but i felt for a long time there are only two choices. either we go over the cliff and clean it up after, or john boehner has to be a babandon th that they will only bring a bill to the floor if it's supported. i don't think there is a bill that a majority of house republicans will vote fo